Collapsible sleigh



April 7, 1970 D. J. NESBIT 3,504,924

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30220; J/l/eaQz'z Y" mw I a i a AYIURAEYS United States Patent 3,504,924 COLLAPSIBLE SLEIGH Donald J. Nesbit, 1443 Lynn St., Marquette, Mich. 49855 Filed Feb. 16, 1968, Ser. No. 706,050 Int. Cl. B62b 13/16 US. Cl. 28020 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A telescoping collapsible sleigh having a pair of rear parallel skis, a rear frame mounted on the rear skis, a front pivoted ski, a front frame telescopically secured to the rear frame and pivotally connected for the front ski,

.and a folding bed adapted for a plurality of load positions on the front and rear frame.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention pertains to a collapsible sleigh, and more particularly to a collapsible sleigh adapted to be towed by a snow vehicle.

PRIOR ART It is known to construct sleds or sleighs having collapsible parts. Such sleighs have been constructed having folding runners and body sections, with the folding members detachable or hinged together so as to be in close parallel relation when in a collapsed configuration.

It is also known to provide sleds with upper carrier portions having folding sides which are hinged to a bottom of the sled. Sleds have been used for carrying a variety of loads including people, animals, foods, fuel and others as required.

SUMMARY An important object of the present invention is to provide a collapsible sleigh that can be adapted to a variety of bed configurations according to the particular use for which the sleigh is intended.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a collapsible sleigh that can be telescoped into a compact configuration to facilitate unloaded transportation.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a collapsible sleigh having unique sleeve locking members to maintain the sleigh in extended position.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a collapsible sleigh that can be easily and quickly erected or collapsed.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a collapsible sleigh which comprises a unitary assembly so that loss of parts of the sleigh may be prevented.

Many other advantages, features and additional objects of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which preferred structural embodiments incorporating the principles of the present invention are shown by way of illustrative example.

ON THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a collapsible sleigh according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side plan view of the sleigh of FIG. 1 with the body portion extended;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the collapsible sleigh of FIG. 2.;

FIG. 4 is a side plan view of the collapsible sleigh with the front frame telescoped into the rear frame;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the collapsible sleigh corresponding to FIG. 4; and

3,504,924 Patented Apr. 7, 1970 AS SHOWN ON THE DRAWINGS The principles of this invention are particularly useful when embodied in a collapsible sleigh as illustrated in FIG. 1, generally indicated by the numeral 10. The collapsible sleigh 10 is formed with a pair of spaced parallel rear skis or runners 12, a rear frame 14, and a series of posts 16, 17, 18 and 19 connecting each of the skis 12 and the rear frame 14.

The collapsible sleigh 10 includes a forward section having a ski 22 disposed beneath a front frame 24 and connected by a pivot member 26. The front frame 24 includes a pair of angle members 28 joined at their center to form an X, and attached at their ends to a pair of parallel frame members 30. The front frame 24 is secured by welding, bolts, or the like.

The pivot member 26 is journalled in a pivot plate 32 secured between the angle members 28 to provide a horizontal pivot. The member 26 also provides a pivot in the vertical direction, between the front frame 24 and the front ski 22 by means of the horizontal pin 34. The ski 22 has a vertically hinged towing assembly 36 mounted forwardly of the front frame 24.

The front frame 24 is adapted to be slidably received within a pair of longitudinal frame members 42 of the rear frame 14. Each of the frame members 42 is spaced above the rear parallel skis 12. The rear frame members 42 receive the forward frame members 30. The frame members 42 are spaced apart by a front crossbar 44 and a rear crossbar 46.

The crossbars 44 and 46 maintain the rear frame 14 and through the posts 16, 17, 18 and 19 the rear skis 12 in fixed parallel relation. The posts 16, 17, 18 and 19 perform the function of locking the skis 12 to the rear frame 14 and maintain the skis 12 in parallel relationship.

The front frame 24 is maintained in extended position relative to the rear frame 14 by means of a pair of telescoping sleeve members 48 which receive the members 30. The sleeve members 48 are attached to the front crossbar 44.

The collapsible sleigh 10 includes a folding bed portion composed of three sections, a forward section 50, middle section 52 and a rear section 54. The bed sections are maintained in position by a pair of extension arms 56.

The arms '56 are adapted to maintain the bed sections 50 and 54 in a vertical position relative to the middle section 52, FIG. 1. The arms 56 have telescoping extension arms 58 which are slidably received within the arms 56. The extensions 58 enable the forward bed section 50 to lie on the forward frame 24, FIG. 2. The arms 56 and the extension arms 58 are locked apart by means of a spring bolt or locking member 60 which is mounted at the free end of spring '62. The other end of the spring -62 is attached to the arm 56. The locking member is received in an aperture in the extension arm 58 and acts to prevent the extension arm 58 from telescoping into the arm 56 unless the locking member 60 is removed from the aperture.

The arms '58 are pivotally connected to the front bed section 50 by a pin 64 and to the rear bed section 54 by a pivoted sleeve 66.

The bed formed of the sections 50, 52 and 54 may be made of any suitable material which extends lengthwise across the rear frame 14 and the front frame 24 and which laps over the sides. The sections are pivotally connected to each other to provide for several bed configurations as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Specifically, the front bed section 50 is joined to the middle section 52 by means of a piano hinge 70 in order that the sections may lie on a plane, FIG. 2, vertical, FIG. 1, or folded over, FIG. 4. The rear section 54 is joined to the middle section 52 by an offset hinge 72 to allow for perpendicular arrangement, FIG. 1, or the rear section 54 folded over the front section 50, FIG. 4.

In operation, the bed sections 50, 52 and 54 are adjusted for the particular configuration desired and the front frame 24 is extended from the rear frame 14 by means of the telescope sleeve members 48. The collapsible sleigh is then adapted to be towed by a suitable vehicle such as a snow-cat, snowmobile or the like.

The collapsible sleigh 10 tracks behind the towing vehicle with the front ski 22 turning as directed by the forward towing assembly 36 and the pivot provided by the pivot member 26 journalled in the plate 32 on the forward frame 24. The front pivoted ski 22 is able to move in the vertical direction about the pivot 26 by means of the pin 34.

When it is desired to collapse the sleigh, the towing assembly 36 is folded over the front ski 22, the bed sections 50, 52 and 54 are folded, and the front frame members 30 are telescoped through the sleeve members 48 into the rear frame 14, FIGS. 4 and 5.

In an alternative embodiment, the forward section has the ski 22 disposed beneath a front frame 24' and is connected by the pivot member 26. The front frame 24' includes an angle member comprising a central web and a pair of parallel longitudinal members 92 joined to the central member 90 by a pair of side members 94. The pivot member 26 is attached to the central web portion 90 by a bolt 96.

The front frame 24' is adapted to be slidably received within a sleeve 100 attached to a pair of crossbars 102, 104. The sleeve 100 is centered above the rear parallel skis 12. The sleeve 100 has a pair of web members 108 adapted to receive the forward frame longitudinal members 92.

The pivoted sleeve 66, FIG. 9, is attached to each of the sides of the rear bed section 54 by means of a wing nut 114. The wing nut 114 also secures the ends of the sleeve 66. The arms 56 are sized to be secured in the interior 116 of the rectangular sleeve 66' when the wing nuts 114 are tightened.

The telescoping arms 56 and 58 are locked apart by means of a square apertured lock member 60 which has an inner detent (not shown) passing through apertures in the arms 56 and 58. The arms are thereby maintained in fixed relation relative to each other and to the bed sections 50 and 54.

With the front frame 24 completely received in the r ar frame 14', the length of a collapsible sleigh constructed in accordance with the embodiment of the invention of FIGS. 6 and 7 is 47" as opposed to an overall extended length of 62" and an additional 25" for the extended towing bar and ski assembly. The width of the sleigh between the rear skis 12 is 16 /2" plus the 11" width of two skis, 5 /2" per ski.

Although minor modifications might be suggested by those versed in the art, it should be understood that I wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such embodiments as reasonably and properly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.

I claim as my invention: 1. A collapsible sleigh comprising: a pair of rear parallel skis; a rear frame mounted on said rear skis; a front ski; a front frame telescopically secured to said rear frame and pivotally connected to said front ski; and

folding bed means including three foldable sections and parallel telescoping support arms adapted to be mounted on said rear and front frame, said foldable sections including a middle section corresponding to said rear frame and attached thereto, a front section hinged to said middle section and adapted to be supported by the front frame, and a rear section hinged to the middle section.

2. A collapsible sleigh as recited in claim 1 including towing assembly means on said front ski adapted to connect said sleigh to a towing vehicle.

3. A collapsible sleigh as recited in claim 1 wherein said front frame has an X configuration.

4. A collapsible sleigh as recited in claim 1 wherein said front frame is slidably received in a pair of sleeves.

5. A collapsible sleigh as recited in claim -1 wherein said front frame is an angled web member.

6. A collapsible sleigh as recited in claim 5 wherein said web member is slidably received in a sleeve.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 828,539 8/1906 .Des Jardins 2802O 1,583,693 5/1926 Krafft 280-20 1,887,067 11/1932 Pehrsson 280-35 2,796,266 6/1957 Sells 280----34.l X 3,033,585 5/1962 MarSton et al 280-16 3,185,495 5/1965 Pivacek 280-343 LEO FtRIAGLIA, Primary Examiner LESLIE I. PAP'ERNER, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 280-15 

